Just a Little Brother
by bkozak
Summary: A pretty short story with a strong message. Shows Ran's views of Conan, and how she considers him a "little brother" when he longs for much more. I am sure you'll enjoy this sweet dramaromance.


Just a Little Brother  
  
Ran drew in a deep sigh as she carelessly watched the sunset next to the local lake. It was a warm summer evening, and the sky was cleverly decorated by the heavens with billowing pink and purple clouds that looked so beautiful, they seemed almost unrealistic, jumping out of a famous painting. The silver moon hung low in the sky, hiding behind the valour of the sunset, awaiting its turn to decorate the night sky with gems.  
Conan had invited himself down to the lake and was sitting next to Ran.  
"I'm going down the lake to think and relax, Conan. Today promises to show a beautiful sunset." she said, heading out the door. Conan quickly extended his arm, as if trying to snatch Ran back, and protested, "But Ran...umm...I need to think too, you know...I hope you don't mind if I come along." Ran smiled and said he could keep her company.  
Now they both sat quietly by the lake, and had not spoken for some time.  
"I have the feeling Ran is thinking about Shinichi... I can see the sadness in her eyes." Ran confirmed Conan's suspicions when she suddenly broke the silence.  
"Sometimes, I like to wonder what Shinichi is doing right now...at this moment... I wonder if he is thinking of me at the same time I'm thinking of him..." a faint smile grew upon Ran's face at the thought. "I know it's stupid to keep thinking this, though..." Ran added, slowly lowering her head and turning her focus on her hands rather than the sunset. "If only she knew..." Conan thought, inching his hand closer to Ran's, "that Shinichi was sitting next to her right now, and that he is also constantly thinking about her."  
He grabbed her hand firmly, and looked her right in the eyes. He had the kind of eyes that reflected knowledge and care, and they were gleaming into hers.  
"Ran-neechan... please don't give up... he's trying his best..."  
Ran withdrew her hand suddenly and cupped both hands over her eyes. With deep compassion, Conan slowly peeled her hands away from her face, wiping away her tears with the side of his own small hand. He took a long, hard stare at her, tears glinting in his own eyes.  
"Please... Ran-neechan, don't give up hope. He will come back to you soon...I'm sure of it." Ran looked deep into Conan's blue eyes, only to see Shinichi looking back at her. Shivers slowly traveled up and down her spine. She took Conan and held him very close.  
"How do you know, Conan-kun?" she said, her face buried in Conan's shoulders. "Something inside of me just tells me I'm right." he said, graciously enjoying the embrace.  
Ran loved believing that little Conan was Shinichi. It felt so much better than thinking Shinichi had just abandoned her. She knew she would never tell Conan what she suspected, for if she was wrong, people would think her mentally ill. "I know I am going to get a call from Shinichi tonight..." Ran thought, still holding Conan, "...because every time I tell Conan I'm hurting, I get a call."  
"Ran, please be happy. I hate it when you cry..." Conan whispered. Ran withdrew from the hug and gasped. Only a few days ago the alleged Shinichi had told her the same thing. "What's wrong, Ran-neechan?" Conan asked, holding Ran's shoulders. Ran quickly shook off the ridiculous thought of Conan being Shinichi. "Oooh...nothing, Conan-kun. I was just thinking about what a great little brother you've been making!"  
Conan's face seemed to pale. His heart dropped, and his hope died. He realized no matter what he did, he would still be a little brother to Ran. This woman sitting beside him who should have been his girlfriend was now considered his SISTER... another dreadful price to pay whilst being Conan. Ran noticed the sudden sadness in Conan's face, and knew if that really was some random little kid, and not Shinichi, he'd be beaming from the compliment.  
"Come on, Conan, it's time to go." she said, taking his hand in hers. As they began to walk home, a silent tear of despair trickled down his cheek, unknown to Ran. He then started planning out a time to call Ran and tell her he's been thinking about her. Talking in his real voice was the only thing that didn't make Conan feel like a young child.  
"Ran...uh....do you really think I make a good little brother?" Conan asked, still very upset. Ran looked surprised. She could tell Conan wasn't happy when she told him she considered him as a "little brother". "Well, Conan," Ran started, "for one, you always know when I'm feeling down, and just how to cheer me up. Not many little brothers care as much as you have. You have such great qualities, especially at a young age. You will grow up to be a fine young man some day." she said, eyes glinting. Conan knew what she was thinking, and he smiled. "I make a good friend too, then, don't I?" Conan asked. Ran replied, "Conan, you're the best kid I've ever known. You remind me deeply of an old friend I used to know, I'm sure you know of whom I speak." Conan continued walking silently after that, not thinking much of the magnitude of what the last comment really was.  
  
When they got home that night, Ran sent Conan to bed. "If you need me, I'll be in my room, okay?" Ran said. Conan nodded and snuggled under his covers. He waited until Ran left the room before pulling out his bow tie and cell phone. "I'll wait thirty minutes more to call her," he said, "that will give me plenty of time to plan the conversation, and allegedly 'fall asleep'."  
Ran was in her room, collapsed atop the bed with her head buried in the pillow. She was waiting for the phone to ring; she knew it would. When it did, she wasn't even going to bother going into Conan's room to see if it was really him on the other line. All she really wanted was a true conversation with her Shinichi.  
Just as she suspected, the phone rang about 30 minutes later. She picked it up on the first ring.  
"Hello?" answered Ran wearily.  
"Yeah hey Ran! It's me, Shinichi!" "Oh really?" she said, pretending to act surprised, "Where have you been?" "I've been on this really tough missing person case. Supposedly some girl's father went out to a friends house and neither the father nor the friend  
were ever seen since. I just can't seem to put the clues together!"  
"Maybe because there AREN'T any...." Ran thought.  
"Anyways, I just called to see what's happening, and also to say I've  
really been thinking of you lately..." ..Ran recognized him repeating the dialogue she and Conan had been exchanging earlier that day.  
"...really? Well, I have been too. I really miss you Shinichi." Every time Conan heard Ran say she missed Shinichi, his heart was stricken with sorrow.  
"Just...wait for me....." his whispered into the phone.  
Ran staggered. "How did you know I've been hurting, Shinichi?"  
Conan answered without thinking.  
"Something inside of me just told me I was right."  
Ran dropped the phone.  
Conan stopped in shock. He had forgot he had said the exact same things to her earlier that day. "How foolish can one be?" he thought to himself harshly.  
"Ran...Ran, are you still there?"  
Conan had to think of something fast to disprove her probable realization of him being Shinichi. He laid out the possibilities, and finally thought of the perfect plan. He had to escape.  
"Ran...please pick up the phone...what's wrong?" Conan said into the phone. At last, Ran picked the phone back up.  
"Sh...Shinichi...." was all she could manage to say. "Ummm Ran.... I have a call on the other line. It may be important, so I am  
going to have to let you go now." said Conan, hanging up the phone. Ran held the phone in silence. "I know he was just trying to say goodbye to me, but it felt like something different.." she thought. The words, "I am going to have to let you go now" played over and over inside of her head.  
"I am going to have to do this fast, or I'm in trouble." Conan thought. He tiptoed quietly out of bed, holding his cell phone in one hand. He slowly creaked open his door and peered into the hallway. "The coast is clear." he whispered, tip toeing to the front door. As soon as he opened the door, he broke for a run. He had to quickly get over to Dr. Agasa's house.  
  
Dr. Agasa was asleep with his head on his work table, and a wrench in his hand. A sudden violent knocking on his door awoke him abruptly. "Dr. Agasa! Please open up; I need your help!" Conan yelled, pounding his tiny fists on the door. Dr. Agasa staggered to the door and opened it, yawning.  
"What is it, Shinichi?" asked Dr. Agasa, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Conan set his bow tie on the table and handed him his cell phone.  
"Ran knows I'm Shinichi...I'm sure of it. I need you to call her with my voice the same time I'm sitting with her in the same room. It will disprove anything she's found out already." Dr. Agasa's eyes seemed to pop out of his head. "What? How could you let her know?! You're very life is at stake!" Agasa screamed frantically. "Don't worry, Doctor. I've got it all worked out. Just call her from my cell phone with my voice in 45 minutes. We were talking about a missing person case before I hung up," he said, explaining the details, "I told her we were still looking for more clues. It is about a young girls father who went missing at his friends house. Now both are nowhere to be found. You take the story from there." instructed Conan. "Tell her it's taking me longer than I expected it would, and stuff like that..." "Stuff like that? Do you mean... LOVE?" Dr. Agasa teased. Conan blushed violently. "Just... just don't say anything the real Shinichi wouldn't say!"  
Dr. Agasa sighed. "Kudo, I can't keep doing this for you, try to keep out of trouble next time. I may not always be here to save your sorry ass." Conan nodded, and ran out of the door. He needed to be back before Ran noticed he was gone.  
  
When Conan arrived back at the front door of Ran's house, he realized her light was still on. "Good," Conan thought, "she's still awake to answer the phone.  
Conan opened up the door very slowly and more than carefully. He came into the house, closed the door silently, and then proceeded to the door of Ran's room. "Here goes." he thought, knocking softly on the door.  
"Ran-neechan, may I come in?" Conan asked, opening the door. "Oh, hey Conan, what's up?" asked Ran. "I...can't sleep." Conan said. "That's okay, Conan. You can sit here next to me for a while."Ran replied. Conan climbed onto the bed and sat next to Ran. He removed his glasses, like he always did before falling asleep every night, and yawned. Ran couldn't help but stare... the resemblance was uncanny. Ran felt herself blushing momentarily.  
"Umm...what are you thinking about, Ran?" Conan asked, looking up at Ran's slightly pink face. "Oh, I think you know Conan." she replied. It was then Conan's turn to become slightly red. He knew it was nearly time for Agasa to call with Shinichi's voice. Then all of Conan's actions would be excused.  
Conan extended his index finger and ran it lightly down her cheek. "So soft..." he accidentally said aloud. Ran's knees locked. "...Conan?" she asked, eye's widening. "...what are you doing?" Conan did not answer. He just smiled and moved closer to Ran. He moved closer to her head, and planted a kiss upon her cheek. So much satisfaction came out of that simple and friendly kiss... a longing slightly satisfied felt better than nothing else in the world. "Good...goodnight, Ran." He could tell at that point they were both scarlet. He then proceeded to wrapping his arms around her. He closed his eyes, and did not let go. "G...goodnight, Shinichi..." she whispered softly, almost too softly for Conan to hear. But he caught what she said, even though he knew he wasn't supposed to hear those words coming from Ran's mouth.  
Couldn't sleep.  
He was holding his angel, Ran, tightly just for one night. "Ran..." he whispered, before drifting off to sleep in her arms. He knew when he awoke, Ran would've spoken to the real Shinichi.  
He knew when he awoke, he would once again be Ran's little brother.  
Nothing More.  
  
I hope you all liked my sweet short story. Some stories are best left un continued. For the sake of Conan's heath. ::imagines the next day:: Nah, I'll leave that part up to you guys. Briana Kozak 


End file.
